Pentagon Nominee Hagel Attempts to Ease Concerns

1/31/2013 12:52PM

As his confirmation hearing opened to certain controversy, Chuck Hagel encouraged senators to examine his full record and offered assurances that he would take a tough line on Iran if he became the next defense secretary. Julian Barnes reports on Lunch Break. Photo: AP.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... there's a January thirty first two thousand thirteen we live in the Journal's newsroom in New York today on WS J LunchBreak sink isn't so international soccer star David Beckham's is going to end at ... all the way to parents ... and husband former pop star ... and fashion icon Victoria Beckham is expected to announce that he will be joining ... the pair signs are mainly in fact I think he has action Aussies to join the League of thirty seven year old ... I didn't and having a press conference later on today and I were to talk about another week ... that is another galaxy far far away that is Washington DC were defense secretary nominee chock a goal is gripping grill bystanders in his confirmation hearing this morning one of the most ... contentious exchanges came with war veteran center John McCain must take a listen ... I think his story made judgment about searcher ... and euro on the wrong side of it ... in your refusal to answer whether you are right or wrong about it ... I've got to have an impact on my judgment as to whether to vote for your confirmation or not ... we'll correct or incorrect when you said ... that ... the search would be ... the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Viet Nam we are correct or incorrect by ... Renault ... by reference to this leader Nancy might change the angle ... alrite point Julian Barnes with a Wall Street Journal he is in Washington CDC Jillian almost sounded like Senator McCain was ... in a statement reading to vote no on Paykel's confirmation if cable didn't admit that the surfaces of sets ... you know this is the issue that ... basically destroyed the friendship between these two men that they were once very tight very close off their bowls Vietnam War vets um they both were skeptical of how the Iraq war was being fought ... but then in two thousandseven when the surge proposal was made ... on day two very different positions ... giggle opposed to McCain was its chief champion ... aam and you know that issue came to the fore today in one of more exciting changes we've seen that ... before the Senate armed services Committee in a while ... and Juliana at the Cato has met with some fifty centers ahead of today ... why are so many declining to say ahead of that at a time ... where they're expected to come down ... with their vote to just plain it's so close to the vest ... I'm sure actually you're not supposed to say ... if you're gonna vote against of war for a center until after the hearing ... um ... you know in the water and a US Senate which is more partisan are you do get some people coming alrite of the gate like Ted Cruz and saying ... I'm opposing this guy on Senator John Cornyn has also done that ... I think a lot of the Republicans are are waiting till after this hearing ... but it's pretty clear where US Senator John McCain as ... of right now and some of these others that they're not gonna be us support ... some who we didn't know where they were to stand like that and your center I Chuck Schumer ... he has come out expressing support on for cable at this point ... will the ad dollars have been spent to find the hinge ... cables nomination this is somewhat unusual where these dollars in coming from ... this is totally un usual I mean we've got to we've we've we've got essentially a political campaign from love ... I know donors are giving money to ... said groups that lobby of ... against a nominee in it I mean people running TV ads in Alaska ... and elsewhere ... you know the bottom line though is it's probably not gonna make much difference on this boat is gonna be close close and a lot of people thought it might be there's been a lot of Republican opposition ... but it's still ... a it can be very difficult for the Republicans are to de rail this nomination ... has heeded the advance work that Hazel has done his any of that you think paid off ... I'm not to the point where it could tip ... the scales in his favor ... well look so far he's been pretty pretty well to repair aam it seems know will see us is this hearing goes on ... of but he's clearly anticipated the lines of questioning different centers will make ... he is up not giving any ground to the Republican critiques he's using the Democratic friendly Democratic tough questions ... to sort of ... expand on blamed on his questions even when Republicans are trying to keep his answer short ... ah so it looks like so far he's done his homework ... aam ... you know but there's a difference is of of of opinion especially on our on also and some of these other issues around Israel ... ahh and there's no way he's going beyond the ... bridge the gap between him and the Republicans on